SCIENCE PROCESSES AND INQUIRY

Grade 5

Asterisks (*) have been used to identify standards and objectives that must be assessed by the
local school district. All other skills may be assessed by the Oklahoma School Testing
Program (OSTP).

Standard 1: Observe and Measure—Observing is the first action taken by the learner to

acquire new information about an object, organism, or event. Opportunities

for observation are developed through the use of a variety of scientific tools.

Measurement allows observations to be quantified. The student will

accomplish these objectives to meet this process standard.

1. Observe and measure objects, organisms, and/or events (e.g., mass, length, time,
volume, temperature) using Systems International (SI) units (i.e., grams, milligrams,
meters, millimeters, centimeters, kilometers, liters, milliliters, and degrees Celsius).
2. Compare and/or contrast similar and/or different characteristics (e.g., color, shape,
size, texture, sound, position, change) in a given set of objects, organisms, or events.

Standard 2: Classify—Classifying establishes order. Objects, organisms, and

events are classified based on similarities, differences, and interrelationships.

The student will accomplish these objectives to meet this process standard.

1. Classify a set of objects, organisms, and/or events using two or more observable
properties (e.g., simple dichotomous keys).
2. Arrange objects, organisms and/or events in serial order (e.g., least to greatest, fastest
to slowest).

Standard 3: Experiment—Experimenting is a method of discovering information. It

requires making observations and measurements to test ideas. The student

will accomplish these objectives to meet this process standard.

*1. Ask questions about the world and formulate an orderly plan to investigate a question.
2. Evaluate the design of a scientific investigation.
*3. Design and conduct a scientific investigation.
4. Recognize potential hazards and practice safety procedures in all science
investigations.

Standard 4: Interpret and Communicate—Interpreting is the process of recognizing

patterns in collected data by making inferences, predictions, or conclusions.

Communicating is the process of describing, recording, and reporting

experimental procedures and results to others. Communication may be oral,

written, or mathematical and includes organizing ideas, using appropriate

vocabulary, graphs, other visual representations, and mathematical

equations. The student will accomplish these objectives to meet this process

standard.

*1. Report data using tables, line, bar, trend, and/or simple circle graphs.
2. Interpret data tables, line, bar, trend, and/or simple circle graphs.
3. Make predictions based on patterns in experimental data.
4. Communicate the results of investigations and/or give explanations based on data.

Standard 5: Inquiry—Inquiry can be defined as the skills necessary to carry out the

process of scientific or systemic thinking. In order for inquiry to occur,

students must have the opportunity to ask a question, formulate a procedure,

and observe phenomena. The student will accomplish these objectives to

meet this process standard.

*1. Use different ways to investigate questions and evaluate the fairness of the test.
*2. Use a variety of measurement tools and technology.
*3. Formulate a general statement to represent the data.
*4. Share results of an investigation in sufficient detail so that data may be combined
with data from other students and analyzed further.

PHYSICAL SCIENCE

Grade 5

Standard 1: Properties of Matter and Energy—Describe characteristics of objects based

on physical qualities such as size, shape, color, mass, temperature, and

texture. Energy can produce changes in properties of objects such as changes

in temperature. The student will engage in investigations that integrate the

process standards and lead to the discovery of the following objectives:

1. Matter has physical properties that can be used for identification (e.g., color,
texture, shape).
2. Physical properties of objects can be observed, described, and measured using tools
such as simple microscopes, gram spring scales, metric rulers, metric balances, and
Celsius thermometers.
3. Energy can be transferred in many ways (e.g., energy from the Sun to air, water, and
metal).

LIFE SCIENCE

Grade 5

Standard 2: Organisms and Environments—Organisms within a community are

dependent on one another and the environment. The student will engage in

investigations that integrate the process standards and lead to the discovery

of the following objectives:

1. Organisms in a community, interacting populations in a common location, depend on
each other for food, shelter, and reproduction.
2. Changes in environmental conditions due to human interactions or natural phenomena
can affect the survival of individual organisms and/or entire species.

EARTH/SPACE SCIENCE

Grade 5

Standard 3: Structure of Earth and the Solar System—Interaction between air, water,

rocks/soil, and all living things. The student will engage in investigations

that integrate the process standards and lead to the discovery of the

following objectives:

*1. Soil consists of weathered rocks and decomposed organic material from dead plants,
animals, and bacteria. Soils are often found in layers.
2. Weather exhibits daily and seasonal patterns (i.e., air temperature, cloud type, wind
direction, wind speed, and precipitation).
3. Earth is the third planet from the Sun in a system that includes the moon, the Sun, and
eight other planets.